Huss awaiting appeals decision on RB Moore

Published: Monday, August 26, 2013 at 09:02 PM.

Hunter Huss running back Kerrion Moore will have to sit out of Friday’s game against Burns unless the school wins an appeal to the N.C. High School Athletic Association.

Moore, a senior and one of the area’s top college prospects, was ejected from Friday’s game at Kings Mountain for lowering his head into a defender while carrying the ball on his way into the end zone. The touchdown was nullified and Hunter Huss was penalized 15 yards.

Hunter Huss head football coach and athletic director Steve Gardner is requesting the ruling be reduced to a disqualification, which would allow Moore to play this Friday. Gardner spoke with NCHSAA officials supervisor Mark Dreibelbis on Monday about the ruling and expects to receive a decision Tuesday or Wednesday.

“It’s just heartbreaking to tell a kid he can’t play this week for just playing football,” Gardner said. “That’s all he was doing was playing football.”

Moore’s ejection was based on what the NCHSAA calls “flagrant contact.” One example of flagrant contact listed in the NCHSAA handbook is “tackling/taking down a player dangerously in a malicious manner.” Although none of the four examples of flagrant contact listed in the handbook directly describes Moore’s action, the handbook states that flagrant contact is not limited to those four examples.

After reviewing video of the play, Gardner believes Moore didn’t commit a violation.

Hunter Huss running back Kerrion Moore will have to sit out of Friday’s game against Burns unless the school wins an appeal to the N.C. High School Athletic Association.

Moore, a senior and one of the area’s top college prospects, was ejected from Friday’s game at Kings Mountain for lowering his head into a defender while carrying the ball on his way into the end zone. The touchdown was nullified and Hunter Huss was penalized 15 yards.

Hunter Huss head football coach and athletic director Steve Gardner is requesting the ruling be reduced to a disqualification, which would allow Moore to play this Friday. Gardner spoke with NCHSAA officials supervisor Mark Dreibelbis on Monday about the ruling and expects to receive a decision Tuesday or Wednesday.

“It’s just heartbreaking to tell a kid he can’t play this week for just playing football,” Gardner said. “That’s all he was doing was playing football.”

Moore’s ejection was based on what the NCHSAA calls “flagrant contact.” One example of flagrant contact listed in the NCHSAA handbook is “tackling/taking down a player dangerously in a malicious manner.” Although none of the four examples of flagrant contact listed in the handbook directly describes Moore’s action, the handbook states that flagrant contact is not limited to those four examples.

After reviewing video of the play, Gardner believes Moore didn’t commit a violation.

“He did not hit him with the crown of his helmet,” Gardner said. “His head starts to come up and it’s pretty much facemask into the right side of his chest.”

The play happened with 3:28 remaining in the game, which Hunter Huss lost 28-14. Moore had rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. He also caught a pass for 10 yards. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Moore committed to Duke in May.

Gardner took issue with more than one call Friday. Hunter Huss was penalized 14 times for 160 yards in the game. Kings Mountain was flagged 11 times for 95 yards.

If Moore is not allowed to play in Friday’s game, junior Treondez Clinton would take his place in the backfield.

“Kerrion’s one of the best players in this area. It hurts us,” Gardner said. “We have to do a few different things on offense.”

Hunter Huss faces a Cleveland County opponent for a second straight week as Burns pays a visit this Friday. The Bulldogs opened the season with a 29-24 win over Ashbrook last week.

Gardner will be coaching against his alma mater for the first time as the Huskies’ head coach. Hunter Huss and Burns have met four times (1993-96) but not since Gardner became Hunter Huss’ head coach in 1997.